Electrical switch



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. J. HAMMER. ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

No. 363,334. Patented May 17, 1887.

(No Mddel.) 2 Smets-sheet 2.

W. J. HAMMER. B LBGTRIGAL SWITCH.

No. 363,334. Y Patented Mayr 1.7, 1887..

\ ill Illll il' @mij Inl N. Pneus mmmgnphprywminmmwc.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE..

WILLIAM J. HAMMER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO IIIMSELF, AND FRANCIS R. UPTON, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,334, dated May 17, 1887.

Application filed December 30, 1886. Serial No. 222,956. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. HAMMER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk andV State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electrical Switches,

ci which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a imple and efiicient form of switch which shall 5e especially adapted for making and breaking very heavy currents, in that it makes and breaks contact at a large number of points simultaneously and quickly.

My invention consists in the novel devices and combinations of devices employed by me in accomplishing the abovenamed object, as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 'l is a top view of a switch embodying my invention, the operating-handle being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2, aview of the same switch, partly in section and partly in elevation; Fig. 3, a top view, and Fig. 4 asection, of another form of circuit making and breaking wheel which may be used.

Referring first to Figs. I and 2, Al is a suit -able base, of wood or other insulating material. B is a ring or annular plate, of suitable metal, set upon the base A, and said base fhas an upwardly-extending collar, C, encircled by the plate B. A shaft or spindle, D, turns through the base and through a metal sleeve, E, secured beneath the base, from which sleeve extends a clamp, F, yor other suitable device for connecting an electrical conductor, 2. The lower side of the base is preferably recessed at A to accommodate these parts. The other conductor-terminal, where conductor l is joined to the switch, is a clamp or other connecting device, G, attached to plate B. y

The spindle D carries a ratchetwheel, II, which has upon its periphery notches I, whose surfaces are of metal, and notches K, whose surfaces are entirely of insulation. This ratchet is formed in the construction shown in Fig. 1 by the insertion of notched insulating pieces a a, dovetailed into the wheel between the metal teeth.

Upon the plate B are pivoted a number of metal pawls, L, as many as there are notches of either character on the ratchet. Each pawl has a spring, M, for forcing it into the notches.

The spindle D has a handle, D', for turning it. In the position of the switch shown in Fig. I the spring-pawls are all in the metalsurfaced notches, and the circuit is therefore closed from 1 to 2 through plate B, pawl L, ratchet H, and spindle D. To break the circuit the ratchet is turned, and the springs throw the pawls into the insulating-notches, the breaking being thus performed by a quick spring action, and being accomplished at so many different multiple-arced points that,by reason partly of the quick action and partly of the division of the spark, the sparking effect amounts to practically nothing. To close circuit again the ratchet is turned farther in the same direction, so that the pawls drop again into the metal-surfaced notches, this closing being also by the quick spring action, and the spark being divided as before, so that again no spark occurs. adapted for circuits carrying heavy currents, such as those of electric-lighting and electricrailway systems. v

. Figs. 3 and 4t show another way of constructing the circuit-controlling ratchet-wheel. A metal wheel, N, is placed between two insulatingplates, O and O. In Fig. 3 a portion of plate O is broken away to show the metal plate. rIhe plates may be secured together by rivets c c, or in other suitable manner, and the wheel thus formed is carried upon the spindle D, as before described. The plates O and O are of ,the same shape and size, having teeth d and d', as shown. The metal plate N has teeth of such shape that between the teeth of the twoinsulating-plates the edges of the metal teeth project beyond the edges of theinsulating-teeth. notches alternately surfaced with insulation and with metal is formed, as in the other construction, and the operation is the same.

I. In an electrical switch, the combination of a wheel having alternate metal and insulating parts, said metal parts being connected with one circnit-terminal, and a series of contact-fingers bearing on said wheel, and all connected with the other terminal, whereby the The switchis thus especially Thus a series of 9o revolution of the wheel relative to said fingers makes or breaks the circuit at all said fingers at once, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electrical switch, the combination of a ratchet-wheel having alternate conducting and insulating notches, said conductingnotches being all connected with one circuitterminal, and a series of springanetal pawls, all connected with the other terminal and adapted to enter said notches, whereby the revolution of the ratchet-wheel relative to said pawls makes or breaks the circuit at all said pawls at once, substantially as set forth.

3. In an electrical switch, the combination of a notched metal wheel carried by a metal spindle, with which spindle one terminal of the circuit is connected, notched insulating parts attached to said wheel in such manner that metal and insulating notches alternate, and a series of spring-metal pawls, all connected with the other circuit-terminal and adapted to enter said notches, substantially as set forth.

1L. In an electrical switch, the combination of the base of insulating material, the metal plate thereon, the spindle turning in said base and insulated from said plate, to which spindle a circuit-terminal is connected,lthe other terminal being connected to said plate, the ratchctavlicel carried by said spindle, having alternate metal and insulating notches, the surfaces of the metal notches being all con neeted withsaid spindle, and the series of springanetal pawls, all mounted on said metaly plate and adapted to enter said notches, substantially as set forth.

5. In an electrical switch, the ratchet-wheel consisting of superimposed toothed plates of metal and insulation, the teeth being so formed and arranged relatively to each other that alternate metal and insulating notches are formed, in combination with the series of spring-metal pawls adapted to enter said notches, substantially as set forth.

6. In au electrical switch, the ratchet-wheel composed of superimposed toothed plates ol' metal and insulation, the metal teeth projecting at their edges beyond the edges of alternate insulating-teeth, whereby alternate mctalsurfaced and insnlating-surfaced notches are formed, in colnbination with the series ol' spring-metal pawls adapted to enter said notches, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 28th day of December, 188V.

VTM. J. .l I AUMER.

Vitncsscs:

J. I3. Wooowon'rn, EDWARD E. IAnrnn.

Correctionsl in Letters Patent No. 363,334.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 363,334, granted May 17, 1887, upon the application of William J. Hammer, of Boston, Massachusetts, for an improvement in Electrical Switches,77 errors appear in the printed specification requiring the following Corrections, viz: On page 2, in lines 8, 20, 34, 43, and 52, the hyphens should be stricken out between the Words spring and metal5 and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 24th day of May, AnD. 1887.

[SEAL] D. L. HAWKIN S,

Acting Secretary 0j' the Interior. Gountersigned:

BENTON J. HALL,

Commissioner of Patents.

Corrections in Lettersh Patent No. 363,334.

Itis hereby certied that in Letters Patent No. 363,334, granted May 17, 1887, u1; che application of William J. Hammer, of Boston, Massachusetts, for au improveim in Electrical Switches,77 errors appear in the printed specification requiring the follc ing corrections, viz: On page 2, in lines 8, 20, 34, 43, and 52, the hyphens should stricken out between the Words spring7 and metal 5 and that the said Lett' Y Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the` same may conform the record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigued, and sealed this 24th day of May, A3D. 1887.

[sEAL] D. L. HAWKINS,

Acting Secretary of the Interi Countersigned:

BENTON J. HALL,

Commissioner of Patents. 

